Main argument/claim and evidence 1. What is the writer’s main argument/claim? 2. What (if any) sub-claims/smaller claims does the writer make? 3. Evidence- what examples, research, and other evidence does the writer use?

1. The writer calls for a fresh drive to address the question: should the people on the board of the lifeboat take the drowning people with them or, simply say, should the rich people help the poor? Our actions, disguised as humanitarian brotherhood efforts to lift the poor out of penury, in actual fact, are pushing them towards degradation. Also, these efforts are threatening the commons on the earth, creating several global problems in the long run. Hence the writer states to re-define the notion of justice: it is conceived of staying unchanged regardless of time and place, however if we want pure justice, we have to face reality. The writer argues convincingly throughout the article that though harsh, lifeboat ethics if accepted as elements of pure justice may bring about their own positive and expected results.
2. The writer divides his main claim into several sub-claims. For instance, he calls, instead of handling directly the poor food and other supplies, rich people to preserve their own resources for posterity. The next important sub-claim is how the earth resources are being adversely affected as a result of treating as commons. Certainly, there are more sub-claims to mention, but the one about uncontrolled immigration, in particular, in the US, sprang a surprise on me. The writer proves why birth rates in the US are not declining despite the government’s actions to do so. Because the newcomers are, for sure, adding more numbers and increasing population. Thus, the writer unveils the harsh truth and encourages thinking about closing the doors in the example of Hawaiians.
3. Mainly, the author uses logic and reasoning based on evidence and examples to support his arguments. As evidence, the writer gives statistical facts and numbers. He skillfully uses these numbers to prove his points. Besides that, he draws examples from the experience of “Public Law 480” and “Green Evolution”. As an example, PL 480 was a cunny means of extracting dollars from taxpayers and served for “silent selfish interests” or, say that, Green Revolution is in fact overloading the environment.

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Israil Kurbaniyazov

09/17/2013 10:45pm

True that the writer made good use of logic with statistics and by referring to some events in sort of storytelling. Yet, in most cases, I can't decide whether I should be blown out by his use of logic. The reason is that he often 'forgets' to cite the data, or let's say, establishing credibility(majority of the facts haven't been confirmed, why?). Admittedly, in some parts of the article, I do see intrinsic credibility, especially, when he referrs to the names and authors of the books. Nonethless, it is not enough to satisfy the expectations of those who keep their eyes peeled on the grounds of credibility.

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Gulora Muzaffarova

09/17/2013 11:57pm

Yes, we can hardly believe the statistics in the article as they are lack of credibility. But the author made an effective use of numbers to make future projections about what these numbers may bring about in the long run.

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Nigora Sharipova

09/18/2013 2:57am

1. The writer tries to find solutions to the general global problems like air pollution, global warming, etc. As I understood, he states that the root of these issues comes from the problem of overpopulation in poor countries and from the vast immigration. I think, the citation from the poem “Divine Comedy” of Italian poet Dante Alighieri “The road to hell is paved with good intentions” can fully express the writer’s point of view. The author tells that all the help like World Food Bank, Public Law 480, that rich countries give to the poor ones in the short run will help them, but actually it leads to their more degradation, because, as the author said, these countries relying on the assistance from outside won’t try to come out of the crisis on their own.
2.The author presented several ways how to cope with above stated problems. He explained Joseph’s, Rockefeller’s ways of helping poor countries. In all points that author made he argues the both sides of the case.
3.The writer tells about past-time experience to show what defects and advantages it had and tries to guess the results of the similar campaigns in the future. He ends his article with appeal to use natural resources more accurately and think about posterity

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Israil Kurbaniyazov

09/18/2013 8:38am

Hi, Nigora! I was thinking that the author harshly criticizes the World Food Bank and Public Law 480 and this makes no sense. But after thinking about the long-term effects, I drew the conclusion that such sort of help for poor countries is not so much workable. I realized that if the Third World Countries are regularly feeded, there will be no progress in taking action to feed themselves.

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Valikhan

09/18/2013 11:15am

I do respect the way you try to figure out the main point of the article and compare ideas.
Israil, I do support the idea that if wealthy countries constantly feed less fortunate ones, they will get used to l'offa and not develop.
However, on the other hand, to leave them in the hope they will be able to feed themselves, we need to put some amble grounds so that they can start developing. We need to educate them, to teach how to run politics, economy and other spheres. If we do not help them, they will die rather than stand up and start working. We need to support them, to help them to stand on feet. Good chinese proverb was used. I agree that we should not give them “fish”, but we should teach how to do fishing! With the help of History, we are able to help them develop in a faster period of time.
Simple example: I’m not sure that rich counties are able to feed all the people living in poverty. With this in mind, we must suppose that all those unlucky people who were not fed must have been developed and able to live independently. There is no such a case. It is impossible. Of course, there are tribes that could manage to survive and learn how to exist without outer help. However, according to some programs that I have watched about them, they do much harm to the nature & environment by killing animals, cutting the trees. They will spend more than 1 century to grow up to the era when they will be able to produce things that will substitute some natural resources. Instead of waiting until they develop, but leave an unrecoverable environmental harm, we can help them get educated and develop faster. It will help them make progress and maintain out natural resources as well.

Israil Kurbaniyazov

09/18/2013 10:46pm

Valikhan, I do agree with the points you raised, especially, with the education. Obviously, education changes societies. It's still fresh in my mind that how I was exhausted to be global citizen when I read one article. The article highlighted the importance of being a global citizen in today's world because of the issues Garrett Hardin raised. Thus, I take the view one of the main priorities of education should be concerned with teaching the importance of being a global citizen.

Aziza Alimova

09/18/2013 8:06am

1. The author of the article, Garrett Hardin, as it is also mentioned in the first comment, claims that people should have a different vision of a term "justice". We now should realize that what we have been putting into practise has not showed only benefits, or at least good use. However, it is confusing enough to sort out the clear points in the article sometimes.
2. Coming to the sub-points listed in text, the writer mentiones about the rich countries' own property reservation, predicted increasing discrepancy between the poor and the rich lives, immigration issues and etc.
3. Nontheless, no clear citation or credit is given, there is an outweighing evidence for the arguments. In the example of numbers, mainly percentages. Some Law examples are also stated. And, of course, much of personal logic.
(Sorry guys but I ,actually, made myself read it. The task could not involve me in terms of interest.)

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STAFF REPLIED

09/18/2013 8:46am

Thanks, Aziza! We value the effort and the time you spent on doing this task. We are doing and will be doing our best to raise course participants' interest in our course assigments and materials. Good job!

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Valikhan

09/18/2013 11:17am

Even if rich country feed poor people, everyday 22.000 children die due to poverty. We just can't leave them alone....

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Daler

09/18/2013 6:27pm

Natural recourses are not everlasting. Some have already understood this, and some might have understood but keep wasting recourses and killing the future life of the posterity. It seems to me that the author tries to show the danger or setback that may occur even in rich countries because of the difficulties in poor nations. As he says ‘Metaphorically each rich nation can be seen as a lifeboat,’ the lifeboat that everyone wants to get aboard to save their life. Yet the space of the lifeboat is not extensive. So the author claims ‘First, we must recognize the limited capacity of any lifeboat’. A lifeboat isn’t capable of carrying all people who want to get on. The same happens with the land. The life on a land becomes harsher as it gets overpopulated. And there comes another trouble which the author called ‘The tragedy of the commons’. One cares about his possessions and keeps in good condition if he uses them on his own, but what happens if his possessions become public. Another claim the author made that in a crowded world mutual ruin is inevitable if there are no controls.
To be continued…

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Gulora Muzaffarova

09/22/2013 4:16am

I do agree with the above-mentioned critical comments on the article, especially, the one about the role of education. For sure, education is what gives us a glimmer of hope for the better. Rich countries that understand this common truth are taking bold steps. I take the view that massive open online courses are a bright example of this. Several US universities were leading this action, now the UK universities seem interested in this effort. To mention, FutureLearn, which was launched on the 18th of September, 2013 offers free-online courses from the distinguished UK universities. The head of this company states that their mission is to export education to emerging economies which desperately need it. (the info was taken from the article published by The Times Higher Education; www.thes.co.uk)

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Daler

09/25/2013 8:40am

Another issue that the author brings up is the hunger, and its, in his opinion, inadequate solution. He says that world food bank is unable to ameliorate the situation, when poor nations always devastate the supplies while some countries are depositing in it and trying to help poor nations. G. Hardin assumes that such solution makes people lazier, and the number of them may increase, yet they will not gain any life experience.
Good point that the author gives, which probably the best solution to help poor nations, is to help them in the form of technology, advice and good education rather than money. Six centuries ago Columbus unintentionally discovered to New World, yet he wanted to travel to India in searches of gold, spices and other valuables. However, people now travel to the land where there good technology, education and ideas.

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Israil Kurbaniyazov

09/25/2013 9:33am

Daler, your last point reminds me of the common truth that mankind's needs are unlimited. In fact, this factor has been driving people from country to country around the world for ages. We are never satisfied, let's say, happy, with what we own today. We are becoming so impatient day by day.

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Tanya

09/26/2013 11:53pm

This article has two sides for me. One side is that the author takes world problems for discussion and the other side that he totally confuses readers with his own opinion.
He can't provide any solution for problems, which he mentions in this article. Well, yes of course we can see that he writes about big problems as feminine, poverty and etc. But what about solution? The world tries to solve it, and the author refuses those versions at the same time doesn't give any ideas. How could readers understand him? Garret Hardin's article is the collection of thoughts and non-stop talking about something and where is the exact aim? I like only one part about life boat and 50 people there. This extract forces us to think more in different ways to help or not the others who are swimming in the water outside. I think the readers will agree with me, that the rest of the article has no sence, the author speaks about simple and at the same time hard and horrible things, unfortunatele, we have already knew. What about evidences that Garret Hardin gives us, there are no any guarantees that this is truth, and worth of trusting. Concerning the numbers as population of India and its increases by 15 million each year, that makes us to start thinking about their problems with food, water and economy, so how could the author guarantee that these numbers are correct. He provides examples to us and tries to persude readers believe his words, but for what. He doesn't decide yet whith which side he wants to be with, in order to help readers to understand him clearly.

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Margarita

09/27/2013 11:48am

Garrett Hardin , the author of this contradictory article, raises quite important and actual problems of the human being. He veils the whole world under the appropriate metaphor “lifeboat”, hiding the greatest dilemma under the word “ethics”. Dilemma is whether to assume “poor” swimmers on the board or not. The everlasting issue was discussed here, that we have exceeded the carrying capacity of our land and if to port more “swimmers” the “ship” will probably loose the “safety factor”. The writer claims that the aid from the rich and developed countries for indigent ones will only spoil them and they’ll be more vulnerable, would have no immunity to struggle with emergency situations , relaying only on the “stronger brothers”. Countries should learn from deplorable experience, but at the same time, as the author claims, why should poor people be the victims of mismanagement of the state board? They’re not guilty and shouldn’t suffer from their states sins. The facts listed down in the article are not only dry facts, not supported by evidences, but the serious pretext to think about possible “tragedy of common”. Surely, all the facts are trustworthy , but the author hasn’t determined yet which side to take. On the one hand , he is for assuming poor, from another, he is con. It’s visible from his reflections about Food bank.If destitute countries periodically take money from Food Money bank and satisfy their hunger, the population will obviously grow. On the other hand-not supporting the weaker signifies killing them slowly. This unsolved issue will be actual for infinity, perhaps. But humanity has a right to mend the mistakes it has done by teaching children from the first stages that all resources on the planet are not unlimited and we have to use them wisely. There were lots of citations the author made as the article “What other nations hear when the eagle screams” and the great one said by Alan Greg about cancer.

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